Author

Date

The circuit

The original circuit, used from 1951-1954. Length: 5.1kms.

The extended circuit at its classic length, used from 1956-1970. Length: 6.542kms.

Two temporary chicanes are placed at Grésil (A) and Paradis (B). In 1972 the track reverts to a shorter configuration (in red), following the construction of a new Autoroute. Length: 5.543kms. 1973 sees another temporary chicane installed. This is between the first and second corners.

The final configuration. A new permanent chicane installed at Six Frères. This chicane/corner is
renamed Virages des Roches. Used from 1974-1993.

An aerial view of the area today.

Circuit owners/organisers

Rouen-le-Essarts was built and run by the Racing Club of Normandy. The Club folded soon after the final closure of the track in 1993. This was its logo.

On-board lap

AVI video file (8 MB)

Graham Hill takes his BRM on a lap of 2m15s during practice for the 1962 French Grand Prix.

Grand Prix de Rouen winners 1951-1993

Date

Driver

Car

Category

Where Are They Now?

July 8, 1951

Conte Giannino Marzotto (Italy)

Ferrari 166F2/50

F2

Looks after the Marzotto group in Italy.

July 6, 1952 (French GP)

Alberto Ascari (Italy)

Ferrari 500

F1

Killed testing sportscar, Monza, 26 May 1955.

1953

Giuseppe Farina (Italy)

Ferrari 500

F1

Killed in road accident on way to French GP at Reims, 30 June 1966

July 11, 1954

Maurice Trintingnant (France)

Ferrari 625

F1

Became Mayor of Vergeze. Passed away 13 February, 2005.

1955

Not Held

1956

Eugenio Castellotti (Italy)

Ferrari 860 Monza

SC

Killed in testing, Modena 14 March 1957.

July 7, 1957 (French GP)

Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina)

Maserati 250F

F1

Roving ambassador for the sport & Mercedes until just a few months before his death. Passed away 17 July 1995.

Won 1978 and '80 Le Mans. Still a regular at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

June 28, 1970

Jo Siffert (Switzerland)

BMW 270

F2

Killed 1971 Rothmans Victory race, Brands Hatch, 24 October 1971.

June 27, 1971

Ronnie Peterson (Sweden)

March-Cosworth 712M

F2

Killed startline accident Italian GP Monza, 11 September 1978.

June 25, 1972

Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil)

Lotus-Cosworth BDA 69

F2

Racing in GP Masters Series and runs Brazil A1GP team.

June 24, 1973

Jean-Pierre Jarier (France)

March-BMW 732

F2

Still driving, but also has business & corporate interests.

July 30, 1974

Hans Stuck (Germany)

March-BMW 742

F2

Racing in GP Masters Series.

June 29, 1975

Michel Leclère (France)

March-BMW 752

F2

Raced in F1. Now runs driving school in Paris.

June 27, 1976

Maurizio Flammini (Italy)

March-BMW 762

F2

The man behind the World Superbike Championship.

June 26, 1977

Eddie Cheever (USA)

Ralt-BMW RT1

F2

Racing in Indy Racing League.

June 18, 1978

Bruno Giacomelli (Italy)

March-BMW 782

F2

Occasionally races in Porsche Supercup races.

1979

Not Held

1980

Alain Ferté (France)

Martini-Renault MK27

F3

Raced sportscars and saloons. Still races.

1981

Patrick Teillet (France)

Martini-Toyota MK34

F3

1982

Pierre Petit (France)

Ralt-VW RT3

F3

Raced sportscars and at Onyx.

1983

Michel Ferté (France)

Martini-Alfa Romeo MK39

F3

Raced sportscars and saloons. Still races.

1984

Fréderic Delavallade (France)

Martini-Alfa Romeo MK42

F3

Raced in F3 throughout the 80s.

1985

Yannick Dalmas (France)

Martini-Alfa Romeo MK45

F3

Won Le Mans 4 times, still occasionally races.

1986

Fréderic Delavallade (France)

Ralt-VW RT30

F3

Raced in F3 throughout the 80s.

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

Lap record

Ingo Hoffmann (Ralt RT1 BMW), June 26, 1977: 1m45.05s

Memorial

Motor racing is inherantly dangerous, and Rouen-les-Essarts did claim the lives of a small number who braved its dangers. Thankfully only 5 died during the 43 years the track was used. This is a small tribute to them.

19 July 1967: Jean-Claude Bernasconi (1942-1967)
Frenchman Jean-Claude Bernasconi was killed during the Coupe Nationale Renault Gordini race held on July 9, 1967. Bernasconi was killed when he lost control of his Gordini at Six Frères. The car rolled several times and the driver was thrown clear. He passed away two weeks later at the Tenon Hospital in Paris. He was just 25 years old.

7 July 1968: Jo Schlesser (1928 - 1968)
Competing in his first Formula 1 GP, 40 year old Swiss driver Jo Schlesser was killed when the engine in his Honda cut out entering Six Frères. The car slid into the bank, rolled over and burst into flames. Despite the best efforts of fire marshals his mainly magnesium constructed car burned fiercely, and Schlesser died at the scene.

28 June 1970: Denis Dayan (1942-1970)
During the blackest day in the circuit's history, two French drivers, both of whom were expected to become Formula 1 stars, were killed in seperate accidents. The first was Denis Dayan, during the French Formula 3 Championship race, the support race for the Grand Prix de Rouen. A Normandy native, Dayan suffered a mechanical or tyre failure entering Six Frères. His Grac went straight on and passed through the new Armco barrier. The car was completely destroyed, and Dayan died from his injuries without regaining consciousness two days later at the Hôtel Dieu in Rouen.

Jean-Luc Salomon
Five laps after Denis Dayan's fatal accident, Rouen claimed another life. According to Jean-Pierre Jaussaud (Techno), who was involved in a big fight for the lead with Jean-Luc Salomon (Martini), Richard Scott (Brabham), Mike Beuttler (Brabham) and Bob Wollek (Martini), he hung back when he realised that the other four were going to try and take la Scierie wheel to wheel, when there was only room for two cars side by side. Salomon slid onto the verge, then hit Scott, and landed upside down in a trackside ditch. He succumbed to massive head injuries at the Hôtel Dieu in Rouen later that day.

23 June 1973: Gerry Birrell (1944-1973)
Scot Gerry Birrell passed away during practice for that year's Grand Prix de Rouen. Trying very hard, Birrell put a tyre on the flinty earth next to the track. In an accident almost exactly the same as Denis Dayan's three years before, his front tyre instantly deflated, and his Chevron went straight on at Six Frères. The Armco once again failed to do its job, lifting up as it was struck, so that Birrell's March passed underneath it, killing him instantly. He was just 28 years old, and on the brink of replacing Jackie Stewart at Tyrrell.

25 June 1977: François Burdet
The final death at Rouen, François Burdet was killed during the French Formula Renault race preceding the Grand Prix de Rouen. Accelerating up the hill between Nouveau Monde and Sanson, his Formula Renault suffered a mechanical failure, which launched it into and over the Armco barriers and into the trees. Burdet died shortly after in hospital.